Exclusive: BCI to increase age limit for 5-year LL.B. to 22, 3-year LL.B. to 45 as interim measure

Responding to the Supreme Court’s push to “take a good decision”, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has decided, as an interim measure, to increase the upper age limit for 5-year LLB course from 20 to 22, and for 3-year LLB from 30 to 45..This decision was taken today in a General Body meeting of the BCI..This interim measure has been taken considering the fact that entrance process to various Law Universities has commenced and the age-limit prescribed by BCI was causing confusion and inconvenience to many applicants..The General Body meeting held today considered a report submitted by a sub-committee formed under the Legal Education Committee. The Sub-Committee comprised NL Mitra, Madhav Menon and Justice (Retd.) L Narasimha Reddy..Two members of the committee submitted their report to the BCI. With regard to the 5-year LLB, both the members have recommended increasing the age-limit from 20 to 22. However, with regard to 3-year course, one member has suggested 35 while the other has suggested 45..BCI deliberated on this issue today and decided that they would like to get the views of all stakeholders including all universities after getting permission from the Supreme Court regarding this..As an interim measure for this year, it decided that the 5-year course will have an upper age-limit of 22 and 3-year course will have an age-limit of 45..The petitions challenging the age-limit is listed for hearing in Supreme Court on Friday this week, when the BCI is expected to convey this decision to the Court.